The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1887-11-07
School Committee.

A special meeting Of the school committee
was held Saturday afternoon, at the request
OF Mr.. McAlpine. to consider the case Of
Augustus Burns, feeble minded boy, whose
attendance at the West school was repre-
sented to be very detrimental to the interests
of that school,
Mr.. MeAlpine stated the facts in the
case. Burns was a resident of the Aims
House, and as near as could be ascertained
he was at least fourteen years Of age. A
year or more ago on his representation the
Board Of Overseers Of the Poor had with
drawn the boy from the school, but lately
he had been sent back again. Mr.. Meal
pine expressed the opinion that 1t would be
a serious injury to the school to have him re-
main. The boy was feeble minded and in
capable of learning to any considerable ex-
tent He had been in the sixth grade along
with children whose ages ranged from five to
seven years, and the teachers had taken un.
usual pains with him. Yet he learned to
recognize but very few words of three let
ters. Besides being feeble minded the boy
was exceedingly vicious, often abusink the
small children with whom he was associated.
lie was profane and obscene. He was dis
honest, also, stole the children's lunches, cut
buttons from their clothes and feathers from
their hats. His temper was ungovernable,
and the ordinary punishments of the school
made no impression upon him. His infu-
enee over the pupils was exceedingly bad,
and Mr. McAlpine thought that the interests
of the school required his exclusion.
Miss Carleton, the principal of the West
school, confirmed all that Mr.. McAlpine had
said regarding the character and mental ca
paclty Of the boy. His influence on the 9TH
er scholars was very bad. Since he had been
back the last time she knew of his pushing
one Of the small children rudely. Miss Wes-
colt, Miss AtchisOn and Miss Custis, teach
ers in the school, corroberated Miss Carle-
toms testimony, and fully agreed with her
that his presence was very injurious to the
school,
Mr.. j. NJ Kimball. of the Board of Over
seers of the Poor, said the Board had no wish
to thrust the boy back into the school If he
was an injury to the school. Some time ago
the boy had expressed to him an earnest de-
sire TO go to school. He had laid the matter
before the board and the board voted to en-
ploy teacher to test the boys capacity. Mr..
Robert Pennell was employed and reported
after lnstructing the boy month that the
boy had made some progress and was capable
of learning. On the strength of this report,
and the promise of the boy to behave him.
self, majority Of the board had voted to
send the boy to school again. Mr.. Kimball
minded, but he had observed nothing vicious
about him, and believed that he had capacity
for limited amount of education.
Mr.. Baker, the secretary of the board, gave
the history Of the boy. He had no doubt he
was az least sixteen years of age. He did not
believe that he could be taught except by the
employment of extraordinary means, and
then only to a very limited extent. An at
tempt had been made to place him in the
school for the feeble minded, and the matter
was still pending. Mr. Baker had voted
against returning him to the school
Mr.. III. III. Burgess, of the oversesrs, said
he thought 1t was but right to give the boy
another chance. II he did not behave then
the oversees would make no opposition to his
removal from the school. He was satisfied
that the boy had some capacity for learning.
Mr.. Il. z. Chase, of the board, expressed sub
stantially similar sentiments. He had OBJ
served the boy frequently and did not think
him vicious. The Aims House keeper gave
him good character.
Major Green, of the board, was opposed TO
returning the boy. He was satisfied that all
the teachers had said about him was true
that he was vicious, profane, obscene and
dishonest He did not think ii right for the
small chance there was Of improving this boy
to expose scores Of little children TO his cor
rupting influence.
This ended the hearing. Mr.. McAlpine
then moved that the boy be excluded from
the school, and the board so voted. no one
dissenting.